Leave him
by hueri
Summary: Mai finds it hard to accept the truth. It's a good thing her family is there to help her keep it together.
1. Part 1

_Part 1: You're here again_

* * *

"You're here again," he stated. He didn't even bother with pretending to look surprised this time, and something about that fact made it even worse.

"I'm here again," she shrugged, smiling even though it did little to hide her red eyes. "I hope you don't mind."

He paused from making his tea before resuming again, "I do mind. The client will come soon, go… stay at my office."

Mai blinked once, and then again. She watched as her boss turned to face her with a cup of tea in hand. He leaned on the marble top of the kitchenette. She slowly let a grin slip on her face and as her grin got bigger, the look on her boss's face turned grimmer.

"What?" he finally asked.

"You do care!" She cheered, fortunately helping her forget the reason she was in the office in the first place. "I knew it, I grew on you over the past 5 years!"

When her boss did not comment, she picked up her jacket from the couch and sighed. "Thank you, Naru. I'll make you some tea after I freshen up."

The past 3 years made Mai a master at spotting the subtle emotions on Naru's face. The look of relief when he set the cup down was enough to make her giggle to herself, he never accepted the fact that he couldn't make tea from leaves.

Inside Naru's office, she set her jacket on the wall and walked in the small restroom. She washed her face twice, glancing at the cup by the sink with a lone toothbrush and only then did it sink in to her that she had been coming by the office too often that she had practically started to live there.

Which brought her back to her problem.

Mai hadn't expected to go to university because she couldn't afford it, despite how big of a salary her job at SPR provided, but by the protest of Yasuhara, who told on her to the Takigawa's, she reluctantly took an exam on "_One! Just one university, and I don't pass, I'm not going._"

With her _Animalistic Intuition_, as Naru so graciously commented upon her results, she barely managed to pass. But a pass was still a pass, so she started her university life.

Coincidentally, she met a guy, and so it began. She'd never actually thought she'd fall for someone who isn't Naru (or Gene, as Naru so graciously suggested). They met when she accidentally entered the wrong classroom, and on the way out, she bumped into him (a second-year that time) and she showed her to the right room.

In her defense, he was perfect when they first met. He was polite, kind, and actually very funny to spend time with. He understood the importance _and _the strangeness of Mai's life and the people around her. He was also handsome, not naturally-handsome-like-Naru, but handsome in a sense that he presented himself neatly.

After a year of dancing around the line of friendship and romance, she finally had the courage to ask him what they were, to which he answered: "If we had to name it, I'd like to call you my girlfriend."

It wasn't like the novels she read, where there were sparks everywhere and fluttery feelings when touching fingers. It was just a comfortable feeling where she felt she could be who she is, and that he would accept her.

(Which, when she thought about it, she never really was lacking at feeling loved. Everyone in SPR spoiled her too much).

But nothing was ever perfect.

Mai sighed. There was a knock on the door and she snapped out of her thoughts.

"Mai, you better still be breathing in there. Boss-man told me to break the door if you don't come out in 5 minutes and prepare his tea."

She rolled her eyes and stepped out of the restroom, "If you broke the door, he'd charge you 3 times the regular amount to fix it."

"I'm sure he'd understand if I say I did it for you," Yasuhara laughed. "Maybe even get a discount."

* * *

**A/N: **Enjoy my unfiltered angst (?) By that, I meant that there will be about 80% grammatical errors and I hope you forgive me for it.


	2. Part 2

_Part 2: I'll be honest with you._

* * *

"I moved the cereal to the other cupboard," Yasuhara said.

Mai sleepily walked to the 'other' cupboard and reached for her favorite flakes and a bowl.

"Spoon's on the second drawer," he called again.

After she prepared her bowl of cereal, she sat on the coach next to Yasuhara and buried her toes under his legs.

"How's it going?" She asked him, mouth full of cereal.

He adjusted his glasses on his nose, "Not so good. I still can't find the data I'm looking for, I swear I saw it last week. If only they had these on the computer, my life would be so much easier."

"Or if Naru actually hired new employees to work, then you'd be less stressed." Mai nudged him and he tickled her toes before letting her leave them there and returning to his pile of papers. "I'll help you."

Yasuhara looked at her, gave her a once over (she pulled a funny face), before shaking his head. He let go of his pen and turned his body to fully face her.

"Mai, I'll be honest with you." He said.

She dropped her funny face and tilted her head, "Yeah?"

"You look like you were forced to eat Ayako's cooking," Yasuhara said, "And that's impossible because we

all know Houshou-san banned her from using the kitchen after their honeymoon."

"Mean!" Mai pouted, "I don't look like that."

Yasuhara patted her cheeks, "You do, _sweetie_, and you don't need me to spell out why."

He took his mug and placed them on the sink, "I'm going to take a shower then we can go to the office together."

Mai nodded before it dawned to her, "We promised no pet names!"

He just laughed at her.

He was right. Yasuhara was _always_ right, that was why Naru depended on him for research. Although she never forgets to smile, she knew she'd been forcing herself to for the past few weeks.

It's never been as serious as it was now. There were signs, of course. She just chose to ignore them, because that was the path she had chosen for herself.

Before the Takigawa's got married, they'd already taken the role of babying Mai as if she was their kid. After their marriage and their honeymoon, they told Mai to move in their apartment since it was closer to her university.

She had taken their offer until Yuuto told her she could move in with him.

Everyone told her no. Even Naru told her it wasn't a wise idea, but ultimately "_the choice is up to you,_" he said. At that time, Yuuto's offer sounded like heaven because Mai really didn't want to disturb the newlyweds with her problems.

Sharing an apartment with Yuuto was fun and, although there were times when Mai got wary of Yuuto, it was just like sleeping over to an old friend's house. To her, that just finalized Mai's thought to concrete: her boyfriend was _perfect_.

They've been known each other for 3 years, dated, and practically cohabited with him for 2 years. He was someone Mai grew to love and accept, but it was getting hard to see now that everyone she knew voiced how they are so against him.

Mai washed her empty bowl and Yasu's mug before changing her clothes. She didn't bring any, but that didn't stop her from rummaging through Yasu's clothes and wearing his shirt.

"I like that on you," Yasuhara commented after he stepped out of the shower fully dressed.

"I know, it's like you knew I would keep it," Mai teased.

He raised an eyebrow at her, "Keeping it is a bit… we don't want Naru to suspect us."

She laughed with him, ignoring the fact that he said Naru instead of Yuuto. Her boyfriend, Yuuto, not her boss.

Mai looked down at the floor, what was she doing, really?

"Hey," Yasuhara said. He gently placed a hand on her shoulder as if he was scared she would start crying, "Come here, it's okay."

Mai welcomed his hug, letting a lone tear drop. "Thank you, Yasu."

"That's what soulmates do for each other," Yasuhara said. Mai pinched him on his waist, "Platonic! Geez, you know I can't see you as anything more than a little sister. Maybe a monkey but— ow, I'm kidding, Mai."

She smiled, she was thankful for Yasuhara.

"I'm home," The front door opened and a man's voice called out, "Osamu, is the little monkey here today too?"

Mai stomped over to Yasuhara's boyfriend with the full intention of stepping on his foot and asking him who exactly he meant by 'little monkey'.

The police officer only laughed at her and patted her head, "Feisty. Don't dwell on your problems too much, little monkey. You're still young."

"Eww, you sound old," Mai said.

"I am old," he said. "I'm 6 years older than you, so I'm calling you whatever I want."

"Yasu! Your boyfriend is acting like a kid!" Mai whined, slipping on her shoes. "He's bullying me."

Yasuhara gave his boyfriend a quick peck, "Don't bully your daughter too much, she's going through puberty."

His boyfriend looked at them in amusement, "You and your friends are a quirky bunch."

"You love me and my friends," Yasuhara said.

"That, I do," his boyfriend said.


	3. Part 3

_Part 3: What are you so afraid of?_

* * *

There was a day before her class started, when she realized she left her flash drive on her table at the office. She needed the drive for a presentation on her last class, but she also needed her break time before said class to assist at the library.

In the end, she had texted Naru and her boss told her that Masako offered to bring it to her.

"Wow, they were not kidding when they said you looked like a mess," Masako said.

Mai looked up from her stack of book cards and faced the TV star in her carefully pressed kimono, she also noticed that students who spotted Masako have started whispering about her and from the way Masako stood perfectly poised, she knew people were watching her. She was choosing to ignore them.

So Mai did the same, "I don't look that bad."

Masako placed her flash drive on her hand and a box wrapped in expensive-looking silk furoshiki on the other.

"Thank you," Mai said, "What's this?"

"One of the sponsors gave it to me to eat, unfortunately I cannot eat all of them by myself."

Just as Masako said that, her stomach had rumbled reminding her to eat. Mai led Masako to the closest place they could eat and the medium unboxed the layers of their lunch.

"I don't say this enough," Mai said, "But I'm so glad you're my friend."

At that, Masako commented, "That's awfully materialistic and offensive, but I'm letting you go because you are_,_ in fact, a real mess."

They ate the meal silently because Mai knew that, like Naru, Masako did not care for small conversation during meals. It was after their meal when Masako initiated the conversation.

"What are you afraid of, Mai?" Masako asked her sincerely.

"I— what?" She stuttered as she was taken aback by the question.

"We, for lack of better terms, hunt ghosts and observe paranormal activities. We are put in danger with our job and more often than not, we get hurt by spirits and demons." Masako said, "You constantly put up with that and face against them with courage, but with Yuuto… he's a _human_, he should be the least of your worries."

"It's because he's human that I'm most afraid of him, Masako." Mai said, "I don't know, it was easier when we were just friends."

Masako packed the boxes back, "I know nothing about love, but I think you can take my word for it when I say what you both are right now… it's not 'love'."

Mai thanked Masako again before the medium left.


	4. Part 4

_Part 4: Look at yourself_

* * *

If she could just gather her thoughts for a minute, she would be fine. She would remember what exactly it was about Yuuto that made her love him.

They met 3 years ago, she was 19, he helped her look for her first class. They became best friends, Naru even met him and said he was 'not an idiot', and then when she was 20, they started going out.

Yuuto asked her to live with him because she told him about her about Ayako and Monk's marriage.

Mai blinked back her tears. Yuuto sometimes cooked breakfast for her like Monk always did. Sometimes they fought, and he would stay over a friends' because it was dangerous for a girl to walk alone. They would have cafe dates, movie dates, study dates, all kinds of dates. On her 21st birthday, Yuuto... where was Yuuto?

"Mai, I heard the door open, is that you?" Monk asked.

Right, Yuuto came home late that day. He was with his friends tutoring them. He brought her back a cake, they ate it together and she forgave him. Naru texted her that night, right before the day passed. It was a short message, but a message from Naru without her initiating it was rare, so she treasured it.

_Happy Birthday, Mai._

Somehow it was Naru's text that made her birthday better, she smiled.

The door to her room opened and that was how Monk saw her. Crouched on the foot of her bed, hand leaning on the bed for support and dry tears on her cheeks.

Monk's cheerful face from seeing her come home instantly turned to worry, then anger, before morphing back to worry again.

He gathered her into his arms and she let him, she missed being hugged by Monk. He made her feel like she was safe, and she was safe.

"For the record, I never liked him," Monk said.

Mai laughed, "I know."

"Then why are you still with him?"

"I don't know."

That was also how Ayako found them. Mai buried deep into Monk's protective bear hug.

Unlike Monk though, Anger overpowered her worry.

"Have you looked at the mirror lately?"

"I don't have to," Mai said. "Everyone makes it a mission to tell me verbally."

"And they have good reason to." Ayako scolded, "I didn't want it to turn this way, but despite what you think, Mai, Houshou and I do see you as our daughter. And seeing you turn into a wreck for a man that isn't worth it, it's like you're insulting us!"

"Ayako," Monk warned.

"No, shut up," Ayako said. "Mai, you think it doesn't hurt us seeing you like this?"

"I-"

Ayako shook her head when she couldn't answer. "I wish you would think of what you already lost instead of what you will lose."

At that, Mai cried. "It's not too late, is it?" She asked monk, "I haven't lost Ayako yet, have I?"

"No, hush little girl," Monk said, "If there's one thing I know, it's that you could never get rid of us."

"I don't mean to hurt you,"

"I know. And I hate to admit it, but Ayako is right. You should believe yourself more."

"That's a lot easier to say than to do," Mai whispered.

"That's why you've got us here with you," Monk patted her head, "To remind you constantly of your importance."


	5. Part 5

_Part 5: Leave him_

* * *

Mai fumbled through the office keys in the dark, her hands frantic to unlock the door. It was proving to be difficult with the amount of tears free-falling from her face.

She dropped her keys and the groaned in frustration. She didn't bother looking for it in the floor, instead, she leant her head on the cool surface of the door.

Honestly, even she can see how much she was suffering. It was unfair, why was she the only one who had to keep getting hurt?

The door opened and before Mai could fall forward, a pair of hands on her shoulders caught her.

"Mai?" Naru's confused voice reached her ears. She sniffed and look up, not caring if she looked like a wreck. Naru had seen her look worse. "What happened to your keys?"

Mai shrugged.

Naru sighed, running a hand through his hair. He took off his coat, clearly seeing the state of her clothes, and put it around her shoulders. "Get in, I'm going to grab your keys."

Mai nodded, clutching on the coat on her shoulders. She heard the jingle of her keys as Naru picked it up from the floor and once again, Naru was in front of her. He closed the door behind her and sighed, "Are you just going to stand there?"

She nodded again.

It was quiet for some time, only the clock by the wall was heard. She heard Naru sigh again, and then she heard him put down her keys on the table. Silently, he pulled her to a hug and awkwardly patted her head.

Mai couldn't help it anymore, she hugged him tightly on his waist for support and let the tears fall again. She knew despite Naru's vocal protests, he never really cared if his shirt got soaked. She heard a door open and from the direction it came from, she knew it was Lin.

"H-he came home," Mai said out loud so both men could hear her. "With a girl, this time."

Naru stiffened and Mai sighed, her cry slowing down to hiccups. "I mean, I knew what he's been doing, I'm not dumb. I work for you and fight against spirits, for heaven's sake, of course I would see that he's been cheating on me."

Silence again. Lin seems to have turned on the kettle.

"I just, I don't know— I didn't want to accept it. This is Yuuto we're talking about. He's a sweetheart, he couldn't hurt a fly, I just…" Mai whispered, "I really loved him, you know? So much that I didn't want to accept that he's fallen out of love. No matter how pitiful I must have been, because I didn't care. I _loved_ him, Naru."

Naru didn't say anything.

"I don't know if I still do," Mai said. "But I've had enough. I—"

Mai pulled away from Naru. She looked up at him and instantly she felt bad. Because she was suffering, she failed to see how it affected the ones she loved, the ones she loved that really mattered.

The look on Naru's face was conflicted. Mai knew it was hard for him to comfort her, but the act alone meant everything to Mai. She took Naru's hands and squeezed it, looking down.

"I'm sorry."

It wasn't her who spoke. It was Naru.

She shook her head, "No. I should be thanking you. Thank you, Naru."

She felt him return the faintest of squeeze in her hand before letting go and handing her a cup of tea. Lin directed her to the couch as Naru returned to his office, to change his shirt, probably.

"I'm sorry for barging in at night."

"I don't think you can still classify this time of the day as night," Lin replied amused, before his tone turned serious again. "And you don't need me or Noll to tell you how idiotic it was to walk the streets wearing only a pajama."

Mai winced, he's right. It's past 3am already. She left her apartment a few minutes before 3, and only managed to grab her keys before storming out of Yuuto's apartment. The nerve of that guy to bring home a woman and have sex with her on the bedroom with her sleeping!

She closed her eyes to calm herself down, a tear slipping out again off her eyes.

"I think enough tears have been wasted," Lin said. "And that you're a smart woman, you don't need anyone to tell you what to do next."

Mai laughed, "Lin-san, thank you."

"For?" He asked. She looked up at him and she saw a smile lingering.

Naru stepped out of his office with a new shirt and his car keys.

"Where are you going?" Mai asked him. Was he going back to his apartment for once?

"To get your stuff," Naru said. "The sooner we get it over, the better. I need my assistant working properly and I think she's been a wreck far too long than I'm used to."

Mai rolled her eyes, "You know that won't work on me, right?"

"Who knows?" He said, "I'll be back."

"Wait, Naru!" Mai stood up alarmed, "You're going alone?"

"Did you want Lin to leave you alone?" He asked, confused.

Mai opened her mouth but was stopped by Lin. Naru nodded at the tall guy and left the office.

He insisted she go to Naru's office and take a nap while he finished his work. She asked if she could help him, too worried about what Naru was going to do, but Lin told her she could ease his worries if she rested.

"You've heard this enough, but you look like a wreck." Lin said.

* * *

**A/N: **Look out for the epilogue. It will be up _soon_ soon.


	6. Epilogue

**Epilogue: Be Happy (Welcome Back)**

The following week consisted of being pampered rotten by her family. Ayako and Takigawa insisted she stayed at their apartment permanently, Mai protested, but Ayako shoved a close-to-tears Takigawa in front of her as the Monk told her he carefully selected and designed her room at their house already and that 'the bed is the softest you'll ever lay down on, perfect for sleeping when you have the worst case'.

Mai gave in and Ayako had to pull Takigawa off her so she can crush her into a hug too.

Yasuhara's Boyfriend made it his job to pick her up after her classes, he brought always brought her doughnuts because monkey's love doughnuts. (Although he insisted that Yasuhara had ordered him to do it, Mai knew Yasu's boyfriend was doing it on his own accord, everyone knows he's a shy guy).

(_'Bananas,' Mai corrected him._

_He looked at her and then snorted, 'What are you? A monkey?'_)

Yasuhara's pampering consisted of him shoving all his softest shirts to her and dropping by occasionally to treat her to lunch in between her classes. She asked him what she was going to do with the shirts when she has her own clothes and he laughed at her.

(_He gave her a look as if telling her 'Oh please' and 'As if you could resist'_)

And he was right. Mai has been wearing his shirts. Her own clothes, as much as she hated to admit it, reminded her too much of Yuuto.

She wanted to please him so much she started buying clothes he preferred.

Masako has been visiting the Takigawa's too often and stopping by SPR too much that everyone figured her out. She doesn't admit it but she was very, _very_ relieved that Mai was starting to revert back to normal.

The Mai that smiled at them with the purest of looks.

(_'I'm thankful but, I don't know how to wear this,' Mai said, running her hand over the soft silk. Masako gifted her a furisode._

'_Well, that's a good thing I'm your friend.' Masako sniffed. 'I'll have you know that a furisode is typically worn by unmarried women.'_)

John wasn't there but the package that arrived by the Takigawa's within the month told her that someone had updated John, and the catholic priest was happy about it.

'_Mai, these are what are typically known as comfort food at this country. Although I must admit that I'm not really familiar with what 'comfort foods' are and just gathered a bunch of food I enjoyed. _

_I'm afraid I bought too much and overpacked, please share some with the others if it's too much. I'm happy you're getting better again. _

_I'm sending you all my love and happiness.'_

The box had a bunch of chocolates, chocolate biscuits, and a few stuffs that would surely stock up the kitchen cupboard for a long time. Mai wrote him back a letter. John was volunteering at an orphanage at Australia and he doesn't own a phone.

She thanked him and inserted the latest photo of the team during a case that happened recently. She told him they all missed him terribly and that she looks forward to Christmas for his return.

A few weeks later, she knew her family was still walking on eggshells around her. Even Naru resorted to making his own tea when Monk scolded him for ordering his 'poor baby Mai' around while she was healing.

Mai was too shy to tell them that she didn't need time to heal for what Yuuto had done to her. What she was healing on was the pain she caused herself by ignoring all the signs and all the warnings her loved ones told her.

She hasn't seen Yuuto as well. Which was actually a good thing, but Mai was worried that maybe Naru had done something when he visited to get her stuff back. She tried to ask Naru if he did something when he came back with her things.

He simply raised a brow at her.

"Are you asking me if I picked a fight with him?" he asked.

Mai was embarrassed because he was right. It's not Naru to pick a fight. Clearly, Naru was more likely to act on underhanded stuffs and attacking unseen. Mai had no proof for this so she let it drop.

. . .

Mai leaned back on her seat, ignoring the small chatters around her. From the corner of her eyes, she can see Monk's flashy bun and his excited waving. With the way Mai's phone kept buzzing in her pocket, she knew Ayako was more than annoyed that she was being confined in the hospital for pregnancy.

_(I'm pregnant! Not handicapped!)_

In Ayako's place was Yasuhara, because they had played rock, paper, scissors for Ayako's seat.

She knew the rest were at a restaurant, waiting for her graduation ceremony to be over. Mai also knew John was there along with Madoka. She didn't say anything, but she overheard Ayako and Monk on the phone while she finishing the last bits of her thesis.

Mai looked up at the sky as she joined the rest in throwing their cap in the air. She laughed along with the few friends she had made over the span of four years and let a few happy tears slip as they were finally free of university life.

She waved goodbye to her friends after small promises of meeting and keeping in touch. Mai was barreled into a hug by Monk and shoved a bouquet of flowers on her person followed by being lifted into the air by Yasuhara.

"Did you get that?" Yasuhara asked.

Mai brushed her bangs off her face as Yasuhara set her back to the ground. She picked up her academic cap and saw Takigawa had taken a picture of Yasuhara and her.

"I like that smile on your face, little girl," Monk said fondly while looking at the picture.

Mai looked over the phone and then smiled, "You know what? Me too."

Yasuhara chuckled and placed an arm over her shoulders, leading her towards the car.

"Keep doing that and Naru will cut your arms off, young man," Monk said.

Mai rolled her eyes, "You know, I never get why you keep pushing me towards Naru. Even while I was with Yuuto."

Yasuhara gasp, "Don't say his name!"

"He's my ex-boyfriend," Mai giggled, "He's not the dark lord."

"Ah, but he is," Yasuhara said.

"You know he already rejected me long ago, right?" Mai hummed.

Monk snorted and Yasuhara laughed. "Eons ago."

"Well, whatever," Mai said. "You have to stop teasing Naru like that, I'm guessing you sent that picture to him?"

Monk chuckled, "Don't be mean, Mai, I sent it to everyone."

Mai was suspicious but she let it slide.

Over at the restaurant, Naru was standing by the front that she almost mistook him for a valet. When they went down the car, Yasuhara informed him that the flowers were from Naru.

"Like I needed to know that now," Mai hissed back.

"Don't forget to thank him."

Mai completely missed the timing to, because of the wink Yasuhara sent her when Naru spoke to her.

"Now you have no excuse for being dumb," Naru said.

"Thank you for kindly putting it that way," Mai harrumphed. Bouquet in hand, she stomped past Naru only to realize she didn't know where their table was. Naru appeared next to her and she grumbled, "Don't say a word."

"For now," Naru said as he let the Host lead them to their table under Lin's name.

When they reached the table, Mai saw her entire family pause from what they were doing and gave her their undivided attention.

"Congratulations, Mai!" They all said together. John had popped a party popper and Mai just knew that Yasuhara had coaxed him into doing so.

Everyone took turns hugging her and peppering her with affection, and that was more than enough to make Mai's tears well up in her eyes again.

Her heart warmed up. She wiped her tears and sat down next to the only empty seat on the table, between Naru and Takigawa.

In the middle of the meal, were the team had reached peak-chaos, Mai shakily picked up her glass to wet her parched throat. She was just too emotional today. She'd almost dropped the glass when Naru caught it just as it was about to slip off her fingers.

He took it from her hand and set it back in the table. Mai looked at their joined hands and then left it at that until Naru let go when he paid the bill.

Looking back at it, there was nothing romantic about that moment. But somehow Mai understood what Naru meant by it.

_'Welcome back.'_

Mai smiled to herself, "I'm back."


End file.
